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Dodge Charger 392 Races CT5-V and BMW 6GC, Cue “No! Monica!” From F&F

Revived for the 2006 model year, the Dodge Charger as we know it will be discontinued after 2023 in favor of a zero-emission coupe. It still is a magnificent bruiser despite its ripe old age, even more so if equipped with a burbly V8. The problem with HEMI-powered Chargers, though, is the wheel spin off the line. It’s pretty hard to launch these cars properly, even if you upgrade to the widebody variant. The regular-bodied Street and Racing Technology Charger 392 in the video below is the perfect case in point.
Dodge Charger 392 Races Cadillac CT5-V and Old BMW 6GC 23 photos
Photo: Sam CarLegion on YouTube
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It may have 475 pound-feet (644 Nm) of torque, almost matching the twin-turbocharged V8 of the 650i we’ll be covering later on, but its rear tires can’t handle that kind of torque from a dig. The Charger launches worse than its AWD-equipped competitors in two of three drag races, but once traction is no longer a problem, the four-door muscle car creeps up on them. The oldest design of the bunch also manages to clinch a win.

Pretty impressive for a family-sized car with a curb weight of 4,410 pounds (2,000 kilograms). The elegant-looking 6 Series Gran Coupe tips the scales at 4,420 pounds (2,005 kilograms). The Cadillac is the newest design here, and it’s also the lightest thanks to a twin-turbocharged V6. Pictured at Sam CarLegion’s usual runway, the CT5-V weighs 3,974 pounds (1,803 kilograms) with all-wheel drive and a 10-speed tranny.

The 650i is all-wheel drive as well, but similar to the 392-powered Charger, it flaunts an 8-speed unit developed by ZF. The long-running 8HP is considered by a lot of people as being the best in the business, even better than Ford’s 10-speed unit. Referred to as 10R in the Ford Motor Company’s vernacular, the GM version of this gearbox is named 10L.

Codenamed F06, the four-door version of the previous-generation 6er uses the N63 from which BMW developed the M-specific S63. In this application, the 4.4-liter mill produces 445 horsepower – as in 40 less than the Charger – and 480 pound-feet (651 Nm) of torque. As for the least exciting sedan of the bunch, the Cadillac CT5-V packs a 3.0-liter V6 lump with 360 force-fed horsepower and 405 pound-feet (549 Nm) on deck.

Quite a huge difference from the CT5-V Blackwing, but on the other hand, the blown small block of the range-topping variant would be too much for the 392-engined Charger and 650i xDrive. Not surprising in the least, the Cadillac doesn’t win a single dig race. It also struggles from a roll, which is only natural given the numbers presented earlier. Speaking of rolling starts, the Charger definitely hooks up better at 30-ish miles per hour (50 kilometers per hour) and 50 miles per hour (80 kilometers per hour), winning both rolls without breaking a sweat in front of its competitors.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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